Adjustable sight for firearms



March 30, 1948. cs. F. DAVIS ADJUSTABLE SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Filed Jan. 17, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m, 5 W

fitter/lays SEARQH RUDE March 30, 1948. G. F. DAVIS 2,438,601

ADJUSTABLE SIGHT FOR FIREARMS Filed Jan. 17, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' lave/afar I a fF'EJauA-l y W 41% pm Patented Mar. 30, 1948 SEARCH ROOF ADJUSTABLE SIGHT FOR FIREARMS George F. Davis, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The High Standard Manufacturing Corporation, New Haven, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 17, 1947, Serial No. 722,529

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in sights for firearms and relates more particularly to sights for the purpose referred to which provide for both vertical adjustment (elevation or range) and lateral adjustment (windage).

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a superior adjustable sight for firearms which is simple and reliable and which may be produced at a low cost for manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior adjustable sight which may be securely fixed to a pistol or other firearm structure without requiring drive-fits of such character as would cause distortion.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior adjustable sight havin both an elevation-adjusting screw and a windageadjusting screw together with a single springmember which will serve to hold both of the said screws against inadvertent or unintentional rotation despite the violent shocks to which the said screws are subjected when a firearm of which they form a feature is discharged,

With the above and other objects in view, as will apearto those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of adjustable sight constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown as mounted upon the slide of an automatic pistol;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in side elevation with the front portion of the slide broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the sight taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 but with the slide shown in side elevation and partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sight-base, detached;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the sight-leaf viewing the same mainly from the top;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the sight-leaf but viewing the same mainly from its underside;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the controlspring, detached;

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the windageadjusting screw, detached; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the elevationadjusting screw, detached.

The particular adjustable sight herein chosen for purposes of making clear a preferred form of the present invention includes a sight-base generally designated by the reference character III, a sight-leaf generally designated by the reference character I I, a windage-adjusting screw generally designated by the reference character I2, an elevation-adjusting screw generally designated by the reference character I3, a sheetmetal control-spring generally designated by the reference character I4 and an anchoring-pin I5.

The parts above referred to when assembled together, may be mounted upon any desired feature of a firearm such, for instance, as a slide generally designated by the reference character I6 and adapted to form a feature of an automatic pistol.

The sight-base I0 above referred to includes two laterally-spaced-apart side-arms I'|--I'I con nected together adjacent their forward ends by an integral tie-bar I8 to thus provide a forwardly-opening clearance-notch I9.

The underside of the sight-base I0 is formed with a dovetail mounting-rib 20 which is formed partly on the side-arms I'I-Il and partly on the tie-bar I8. The mounting-rib 20 is adapted to snugly slidably fit in an upwardly-opening dovetail mounting-groove 2| formed in the upper surface of the slide I6 or other suitable feature of a firearm structure, and intersecting the respective opposite sides of the said slide.

As before noted. it is preferred that the dovetail mounting-rib 20 of the sight-base I0 has a snug but sliding lit in the mounting-groove 2| of the slide I6 and this is preferred for the reason that it avoids undesirable distortions of the slide which occur if the two said parts are drive-fitted together. For the purpose of securely fixing the sight-base I0 (and hence the parts carried thereby) to the slide I6 or its equivalent, the anchoring-pin I5 is employed. The said anchoring-pin is extended downwardly with a drivefit through a vertical passage 22 formed in the right-hand side-arm ll of the sight-base. The said anchoring-pin also extends downwardly with a drive-fit into a vertical passage 23 (Figs. 4 and 5) formed in the slide I6.

The sight-base I0 is formed in the right-hand one of its side-arms I1 with a relatively-large cylindrical bearing-opening 24 extending transversely therethrough and intersecting the vertical passage 22 for purposes as will hereinafter appear. The intersection just referred to is preferably such that the vertical center line of the passage 22 and hence of the anchoring-pin I5 coincides with the periphery of the said passage 24. The left-hand side-arm I1 opposite the side-arm in which the bearings-passage 24 is formed, is formed with a cylindrical bearingpassage 25 smaller than but in axial alignment with the said bearing-passage 24.

The sight-leaf above referred to and generally designated by the reference character I l includes a relatively-heavy body-portion 26 positioned to 3 the rear of the sight-base Ill and a pair of integral forwardly-extending side-arms 2'l-21 which are laterally spaced apart with respect to each other. The said side-arms extend forwardly between the side-arms l'l-l 1 of the sight-base l and over the tie-bar IS.

The distance between the respective outer faces of the side-arms 2|--2| of the sight-leaf II is substantially less than the distance between the respective inner faces of the side-arms I'l-ll of the sight-base l0, so that the said sight-leaf may be moved transversely for purposes as will hereinafter appear.

The side-arms 2'l-21 of the sight-leaf ll may be conveniently produced by milling a longitudinal groove 28 in the said sight-leaf, which groove preferably extends to a position closely adjacent the rear face of the body-portion 26 and into intersecting relationship with the forward end of the sight-leaf, as is especially well shown in Fig. 7. The rear end of the bottom wall of the said groove 28 curves upwardly and at this location the sight-leaf is drilled slightly to provide a clearance-recess 28a for the rear portion of the control-spring I4. The rear of the bodyportion 26 of the sight-leaf l l is milled to provide a sighting-notch 29 which is located centrally with respect to the groove 28.

The respective forward ends of the side-arms 2'l--2'l of the sight-leaf II are integrally united adjacent their lower edges by a tie-plate 30 having its rear edge spaced forwardly of the front edge of the body-portion 26, to thus leave a vertical clearance-passage 3| to clear a portion of the control-spring M, in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

Integral with and depending from each of the side-arms 27-21 of the sight-leaf H is one of two similar ears 32-32 which are accommodated in the clearance-notch l9 in the sight-base Ill. Each of the said ears is formed with a transverse threaded passage 33 arranged axially in line with its companion passage and also axially in line with the bearing-passages 24 and 25 of the sightbase Ill.

Extending in the bearing-passages 24 and 25 of the sight-base l0 and in the threaded passages 33 of the sight-leaf H, is the windage-adjusting screw l2 before referred to. The said screw is formed at one end with a slotted head 34 which has a smooth turning fit in the bearing-passage 24 and which is provided in its periphery with an annular groove 35. The said annular groove registers with the vertical passage 22 in the sightbase It] and receives with a free turning fit, the adjacent portion of the anchoring-pin IS, in the manner especially well shown in Fig. 5.

At its end opposite its head 34 the windageadjusting screw I2 is formed with a cylindrical bearing-portion 36 which has a smooth turning fit in the bearing-passage 25 in the left-hand side-arm ll of the sight-base l0. Substantially centrally of its length, the screw I2 is formed with four (more or less) angularly-related detentfaces 31, for purposes as will hereinafter appear. Respectively flanking the opposite ends of the detent-faces 3'! in a direction lengthwise of the screw [2, are two similar threaded portions 38-38. The said threaded portions respectively engage with the threads in the threaded passages 33 of the ears 32-32 of the sight-leaf, to effect the lateral adjustment of the latter, in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

Intermediate its right side edge and the adjacent wall of the longitudinal groove 28, the

body-portion 26 of the sight-leaf H is formed with a vertical threaded passage 39 into which is threaded the elevation-adjusting screw l3 before referred to. At its lower end, the said elevation-adjusting screw I3 is formed with a tapered detent-point 40 which normally fits into an upwardly-opening tapered detent-groove or -recess 4| formed in the upper surface of the slide 16 or other suitable part of a firearm structure.

The control-spring l4 before referred to is bent downwardly substantially midway of its length to form a trough-like clearance-portion 42 which extends beneath the adjusting-screw l2 and is accommodated in the clearance-notch l 3 of the sight-base ID, as is especially well shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The said control-spring l4 also includes a rearwardly-extending arm 43 and a forwardly-extending arm 44. Substantially centrally of its trough-like clearance-portion 42, the said control-spring is struck up to provide a longitudinally-extending detent-rib 45 which is adapted to engage with any one of the plurality of detent-faces 3! 0n the central portion of the windage-adjusting screw l2, in a manner as will more fully hereinafter appear.

The rear arm 43 of the control-spring [4 extends upwardly from the trough-like clearanceportion 42 through the clearance-passage 3! of the sight-leaf H and thence rearwardly in the longitudinal groove 28 in the said sight-leaf. The said rear arm 43 rests upon the bottom wall of the portion of the longitudinal groove 28 which is in the body-portion 2B of the sight-leaf ll so as to exert a constant but yielding effort to swing the rear end of the said sight-leaf downwardly about the windage-adjusting screw I2 as a center.

The front arm 44 of the control-spring I 4 extends beneath the tie-plate 30 forwardly from the trough-like clearance-portion 42 of the controlspring and thence into engagement with the upper surface of the slide l6 or such other feature of a firearm structure, such as the sight-structure may be mounted upon.

As thus constructed and arranged, the controlspring l4 exerts a simultaneous but yielding force upon both the sight-leaf II and the windage-adjusting screw l2. The forces exerted by the said control-spring are such as to tend to maintain its detent-rib 45 in engagement with one of the detent-faces 31, while at the same time urging the rear portion of the sight-leaf H to swing downwardly to thus yieldingly seat the tapered detent-point 45 of the elevation-adjusting screw l: in the detent-groove or -recess 4| in the slide Adjustments for elevation or range Should it be desired to elevate the sighting- .notch 29 of the sight-leaf II or their equivalents in order to properly compensate for a greater distance to a target, the elevation-adjusting screw l3 may be turned so as to thread itself downwardly in the vertical passage 33 of the sight-leaf H'. The said elevation-adjusting screw I 3 must be turned against the resistance afforded by the extension of its tapered detent-point 40 of the said screw against the similarly tapering surfaces of the detent-groove or -recess 4| in the slide I6. Thus, the initial turning of the elevationadjusting screw [3 will cause its detent-point 4|] to cam itself upwardly and hence lift the rear portion of the sight-leaf H against the tension of the control-spring [4. A half-turn of the screw l2 will again align the detent-point 40 thereof with the detent-groove 4|, whereupon the said detent-point will again seat and the further turning of the said screw will meet with yielding resistance of a character commonly referred to in the art as a click. As many turns of the elevation-adjusting screw l3 as are required may be effected in the manner described to raise the rear portion of the sight-leaf H to the desired extent.

A reverse turning movement of the elevationadjusting screw iii in a direction such as will thread the same upwardly out of the vertical threaded passage 39 of the sight-leaf will permit the rear portion of the said sight-leaf to swing downwardly. During this lowering operation of the sight-leaf H', the elevation-adjusting screw i3 will perform with the same click action as has been above described.

The lateral adjustment of the sight-leaf Should it be desired to laterally shift the sightleaf H with respect t the sight-base l (and hence with respect to the firearm structure) to compensate for lateral winds or for any other purpose, the windage-adjusting screw I2 may be appropriately turned.

Since in the particular structure chosen for illustration, the windage-adjusting screw ['2 is provided with right-hand threads on its portions 38-38, a clockwise turning of the screw l2 will shift the sight-leaf I toward the right side of the slide l6, whereas a counterclockwise turning movement of the said screw l2 will shift the sight-leaf ll toward the left side of the firearm structure of which the slide IE or its equivalent may form a part.

During th turning movement of the elevationadjusting screw 1'3, in the manner above described, the said screw will itself be held against axial movement by the extension of the vertical anchoring-pin l into the annular groove 35 in the head 34 of the said screw l2.

Th above-described turning movement of the windage-adjusting screw I2 will be effected against the yielding resistance afforded by the engagement of the detent-rib 45 of the controlspring l4 against whichever one of the detentfaces 31 is at the time engaged therewith. Thus there will be, in eifect, a click action for each quarter-turn of the windage-adjusting screw [3.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure, the said sight-base having two laterally-spaced-apart side-arms connected together at their rears by a tie-bar which has its upper surface depressed below the respective upper surfaces of the said side arms, the said sidearms and the said tie-bar providing boundaries for a clearance-opening located forwardly of the said tie-bar; a sight-leaf having a body-portion vertically movable to the rear of the said sightbase and having a forwardly-projecting pivotportion extending over the tie-bar of the said sight-base and between the said side-arms of the latter and into the clearance-opening of the transversely of and turning in the respective sidearms of the said sight-base and extending through the forwardly-projecting pivot-portion of the said sight-leaf, the said windage-adjusting screw extending across the clearance-opening of the sight-base and being connected to the said sight-base and also being connected to the forwardly-projecting pivot-portion of the said sightleaf to shift the sight-leaf laterally with respect to the sight-base; elevating-means for swinging the said sight-leaf vertically about the said windage-adjusting screw; and spring-means yieldingly urging the rear-portion of the said sightleaf downwardly.

2. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure, the said sight-base having two laterally-spaced-apart side-arms connected together at their rears by a tie-bar which has its upper surface depressed below the respective upper surfaces of the said side-arms, the said side-arms and the said tie-bar providing boundaries for a clearance-opening located forwardly of the said tie-bar; a sight-leaf having a bodyportion vertically movable to the rear of'the said sight-base and having a forwardly-projecting pivot-portion extending over the tie-bar of the said sight-base and between the said side-arms of the latter and into the clearance-opening of the sight-base; a windage-adjusting screw extending transversely of and turning in the respective side-arms of the said sight-base and extending through the forwardly projecting pivot-portion of the said sight-leaf, the said windage-adjusting screw extending across the clearance-opening of the sight-base and being connected to the said sight-base and also being connected to the forwardly-projecting pivotportion of the said sight-leaf to shift the sightleaf laterally with respect to the sight-base; elevating-means for swinging the said sight-leaf vertically about the said windage adjusting screw; and a control-spring extending through the clearance-opening in the said sight-base and beneath the said windage-adjusting screw, the said control-spring also extending rearwardly over the tie-bar of the said sight-base and into engagement with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the body-portion thereof.

3. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure, the said sight-base having two laterally-spaced-apart side-arms connected together at their rears .by a tie-bar which has its upper surface depressed below the respective upper surfaces of the said side-arms, the said side-arms and the said tie-bar providing boundaries for a clearance-opening located forwardly of the said tie-bar; a sight-leaf having a bodyportion vertically movable to the rear of the said sight-base and having a forwardly-projecting pivot-portion extending over the tie-bar of the said sight-base and between the said side-arms of the latter and into the clearance-opening of the sight-base; a windage-adjusting screw extending transversely of and turning in the respective side-arms of the said sight-base and extending through the forwardlyprojecting pivot-portion of the said sight-leaf, the said windage-adjusting screw extending across the clearance-opening of the sight-base and being connected to the said sight-base and also being connected to the forwardly-projecting pivotsight-base; a windage-adjusting screw extending portion of the said sight-leaf to shift the sightleaf laterally with respect to the sight-base, the said windage-adjusting screw being formed with a plurality of angularly-related detent-faces; elevating-means for swinging the said sight-leaf vertically about the said windage-adiusting screw; and a control-spring extending into engagement with the said sight-leaf to depress the same and having a detent-portion engaging with the detent-faces of the said windage-adjusting screw to yieldingly restrain the turning movement of the latter.

4. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure, the said sight-base having two laterally-spaced-apart side-arms connected together at their rears by a tie-bar which has its upper surface depressed below the respective upper surfaces of the said side-arms, the said side-arms and the said tie-bar providing boundaries for a clearance-opening located forwardly of the said tie-bar; a sight-leaf having a body-' portion vertically movable to the rear of the said sight-base and having a forwardly-projecting pivot-portion extending over the tie-bar of the said sight-base and between the said side-arms of the latter and into the clearance-opening of the sight-base; a windage-adjusting screw extending transversely of and turning in the respective side-arms of the said sight-base and extending through the forwardlyprojecting pivot-portion of the saidsight-leaf, the said windage-adjusting screw extending across the clearance-opening of the sight-base and being connected to the said sight-base and also being connected to the forwardly-projecting pivotportion of the said sight-leaf to shift the sightleaf laterally with respect to the sight-base, the said windage-adjusting screw being formed with a plurality of angularly-related detent-faces; elevating-means for swinging the said sight-leaf vertically about the said windage-adjusting screw; and a control-spring having a troughshaped portion intermediate its respective opposite ends which extends beneath the said windage-adjusting screw and is formed with a detentrib engageable with the detent-faces of the said screw, the said control-spring also having a rearwardly-extending portion engaging with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the same.

5. The combination with a firearm-member having a sight-receiving portion and formed to the rear of its said sight-receiving portion with an upwardly-tapered detent-recess; of a sightbase engaged with the sight-receiving portion of the said firearm-member and formed with a transverse bearing-passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned windage-adjusting screw; a windage-adjusting screw turning in the bearing-passage in the said sight-base; a pivotal sight-leaf having a forward-portion mounted upon the said windage-adjusting screw, the said sight-leaf also having a portion projecting rearwardly of the said sight-base and formed with a substantially-vertical threaded passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned elevation-adjusting screw; an elevation-adjusting screw threaded into the threaded passage in the rear-portion of the said sight-leaf and provided at its lower end with a downwardly-tapering detent-point having camming engagement with the upwardly-tapering detent-recess in the said firearm-member; and a control-spring engaging with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the rear-portion thereof and yieldingly maintain the detent-point of the said elevation-adjusting screw in the detent-recess of the firearm-memiber.

6. The combination with a firearm-member having a sight-receiving portion and formed to the rear of its said sight-receiving portion with an upwardly-tapered detent-recess; of a sightbase engaged with the sight-receiving portion of the said firearm-member and formed with a transverse bearing-passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned winclage-adjusting screw; a windage-adjusting screw turning in the bearing-passage in the said sightbase and formed with a plurality of angularlyrelated detent-faces; a pivotal sight-leaf having a forward-portion mounted upon the said windage-adjusting screw, the said sight-leaf also having a portion projecting rearwardly of the said sight-base and formed with a substantially-vertical threaded passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned elevation-adjusting screw; an elevation-adjusting screw threaded into the threaded passage in the rear-portion of the said sight-leaf and provided at its lower end with a downwardly-tapering detent-point having camming engagement with the upwardly-tapering detent-recess in the said firearm-member; and a control-spring having a rear-portion engaging with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the rear-portion thereof and yieldingly maintain the detent-point of the said elevationadjusting screw in the detent-recess of the said firearm-member, the said control-spring also having an intermediate detent-portion engageable with the detent-faces of the said windageadjusting screw to yieldingly hold the latter against rotation.

7. The combination with a firearm-member having a transverse dovetail groove therein and a substantially-vertical passage intersecting the said dovetail groove to receive the hereinaftermentioned anchoring-pin;- of a sight-base formed with a transverse dovetail rib fitting in the dovetail groove of the said firearm-member and formed with a substantially-vertical passage registering with the similar passage in the said firearm-member, the said sight-base being also formed with a transverse bearing-passage laterally intersecting the substantially-vertical passage in the rib of the sight-base and adapted to receive the hereinafter-mentioned adjustingscrew; an adjusting-screw having a bearingportion turning in the bearing-passage in the said sight-base, the said bearing-portion being formed in its periphery with an annular groove; an anchoring-pin having a greater length than the length of the substantially-vertical passage in the said sight-base and extending therethrough and through the annular groove in the bearing-portion of the said adjusting-screw and downwardly into the substantially-vertical passage in the said firearm-member to coincidentally anchor the said sight-base to the said firearmmember and to retain the said adjusting-screw against axial displacement.

8. The combination with a firearm-member having a sight-receiving portion formed with a substantially-vertical passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned anchoring-pin; of a sight-base engaged with the sight-receiving portion of the said firearm-member and also formed with a substantially-vertical passage registering with the similar passage of the said firearm-member, the said sight-base also being formed with a transverse bearing-passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned adjusting-screw, the said bearing-passage laterally intersecting the substantially-vertical passage in the sight-base; an adjusting-screw having a bearing-portion turning in the bearing-passage in the said sight-base, the said bearing-portion being formed in its periphery with an annular groove; an anchoring-pin having a greater length than the length of the substantially-vertical passage in the said sight-base and extending therethrough and through the annular groove in the bearing-portion of the said adjusting-screw and downwardly into the substantially-vertical passage in the said firearm-member to coincidentally anchor the said sight-base to the said firearm-member and to retain the said adjustingscrew against axial displacement.

9. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure and formed with a transverse bearing-passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned windage-adjusting screw; a windage-adjusting screw turning in the bearingpassage of the said sight-base and having a plurality of angularly-related detent-faces; a pivotal sight-leaf having a forward portion threadedly connected to the said windage-adjusting screw for being moved laterally thereby, the said sightleaf also having a portion projecting rearwardly of the said sight-base and formed with a substantially-vertical threaded passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned elevationadjusting screw; an elevation-adjusting screw threaded into the threaded passage in the rear portion of the said sight-leaf and having its lower portion positioned for engagement with the portion of a firearm structure for lifting the rear portion of the said sight-leaf; and a controlspring having a portion engaging with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the rear portion thereof and a detent-portion engageable with the detent-faces of the said windage-adjusting screw, the said control-spring acting to simultaneously resist the upward movement of the rear portion of the said sight-leaf and to yieldingly resist the turning movement of the said windage-adjusting screw.

10. An adjustable sight for firearms, including in combination: a sight-base for attachment to a firearm structure and formed with a transverse bearing-passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned windage-adjusting screw; a windage-adjusting screw turning in the bearingpassage of the said sight-base and having a plurality of angularly-related detent-faces; a pivotal sight-leaf having a forward portion threadedly connected to the said windage-adjusting screw for being moved laterally thereby, the said sight-leaf also having a portion projecting rearwardly of the said sight-base and formed with a substantially-vertical threaded passage for the reception of the hereinafter-mentioned elevation-adjusting screw; an elevation-adjusting screw threaded into the threaded passage in the rear portion of the said sight-leaf and having its lower portion positioned for engagement with the portion of a firearm structure for lifting the rear portion of the said sight-leaf; and a controlspring having a rear portion engaging with the said sight-leaf to yieldingly depress the rear portion thereof and an intermediate detent-portion extending beneath and engageable with the detent-faces of the said windage-adjusting screw, the said control-spring acting to simultaneously resist the upward movement of the rear portion of the said sight-leaf and to yieldingly resist the turning movement of the said windage-adjusting screw by the engagement of its intermediate detent-portion with a selected one of the detentfaces of the said windage-adjusting screw.

GEORGE F. DAVIS. 

